Labyrinth 2: Return of the Goblin King
by Renica Swavely
Summary: After thirteen years of psychiatric treatment, Sarah is convinced the Underground isn't real. Then her father and Karen die, leaving her to raise Toby alone. Haunted by her past, Sarah keeps her distance from new people until she meets David, who bares a close resemblance to the Goblin King...closer than Sarah is willing to believe. Based on the fan-vid trailers by isabeauluv.
1. Prologue

Prologue

"_Don't say I'm out of touch with this rampant chaos, your reality. I know well what lies beyond my sleeping refuge, the nightmare I built my own world to escape__." – Evanesence_

"Goodbye, Sarah," Ludo said.

Sarah looked behind her quickly, but Ludo wasn't there.

"And remember fair maiden, should you need us…," Sir Didymus appeared and disappeared as he spoke to her. Sarah felt the tears welling in her eyes.

"Yes," Hoggle appeared on her bed, "Should you need us for any reason at all…"

"I need you Hoggle," Sarah stated evenly, feeling the tears burning.

"You, you do?"

"I don't know why, but every now and again in my life for no reason at all, I need you," she paused, pushing the tears back, "all of you."

Hoggle's facial expression changed. "Oh, you do?" He broke into a big grin. "Well, why didn't you say so?"

As Sarah turned around in her chair, all of her friends appeared in her bedroom joined by several goblins from the city, some Fireys, and the Wiseman. She embraced Ludo and laughed when Sir Didymus suggested playing Scrabble. She began dancing around, pleased with herself for beating the Goblin King, pleased with herself for getting Toby back home safely, and pleased to have friends to share her experience with. It had truly been the most incredible journey. Turning around to dance with Hoggle and then jump off her bed, she heard her father's voice.

"Sarah?" She froze. "What on earth are you doing?" Glancing around the room, Sarah saw that they were all gone. All of her friends – every single one – was gone. There were no signs that any of them had been there. She jumped off the bed, ignoring her father and racing over to her mirror. There was only her reflection, nothing else. "Sarah?"

"Where did they go?" she asked, almost frantic. What had happened? They had only been here for a moment. She was just beginning to have fun. Had the Goblin King punished them? Were they in danger?

"Where did who go?" Robert Williams asked.

"My friends," Sarah cried. "My friends from the Underground. They were just here!"

Mr. Williams had no idea what an Underground was, but he didn't like the idea of people being in his fifteen year old daughter's room at this time of night. He scanned the room, but there was no sign of anyone being in the room, besides his daughter. The look on her face made him doubt that, but a quick check of the closet and under the bed proved no results. They were alone in the bedroom.

"Sarah, I think you're exhausted. Karen and I will stay in tomorrow night so you can rest," he said, softly. "You won't have to watch Toby."

Sarah shook her head, barely listening to her father, as she paced the room. "Dad, they were here. Didn't you see them when you walked in?"

"If this is some kind of game, Sarah," Robert Williams was getting tired of the charade now.

"It's not a game!" Sarah screamed. "Why aren't you listening to me? They were right here." She pointed at her bed. Mr. Williams made a face, not liking the fact that his daughter was screaming, or that she was insisting there was someone on her bed other than herself.

"Sarah, please keep your voice down. You'll wake Toby," Karen scolded, coming into the bedroom.

"Toby!" Sarah cried, pushing past her parents to the bedroom across the hall. When she arrived at the side of the crib, her baby brother was still fast asleep, clutching Lancelot in his arms. Relieved that he was alright, Sarah began crawling around on her hands and knees checking under the crib and her parent's bed to see if any of the goblins were hiding in the shadows.

"What are you doing?" Karen hissed, as she and her husband entered through the doorway. "Get up off the floor!"

"Was anyone in here when you got home?" Sarah asked, hopeful.

Mr. Williams walked over to his daughter, arms crossed over his chest. "Sarah, what exactly is going on here?"

Sarah looked at him, studying his face. Then she did the same to Karen. "Alright," she sighed. "I'll tell you." She went through her entire night from start to finish, from the moment she wished Toby away, until she defeated the Goblin King and brought her baby brother back home. "And my friends were here with me to celebrate since I beat the Labyrinth. Now that they are gone, I want to make sure they are ok. I don't want Jareth to punish them."

"Who is Jareth," Karen asked.

"The Goblin King."

Mr. Williams looked over his daughter's head at his wife. She shook her head, not believing what her step-daughter was saying. "Sarah," Robert began, "you know none of that is real."

"Of course it is!" Sarah cried. "Dad, it just happened to me."

"I think you must have fallen asleep," Karen suggested, gently. "It sounds an awful like one of those story books you love so much, or one of your mother's fantastical plays." She reached for Sarah, trying to put her hand on her arm.

"No," Sarah pulled away. "No, it was real!"

"Sarah," Mr. Williams started again.

"No!" Sarah screamed, racing to her bedroom and slamming the door.

The next day, Sarah Williams was admitted to St. Catherine's psychiatric ward after a doctor gave her a full evaluation. She regaled the admitting physician with the same tale, not one detail out of place from the version she had spun her parents. The doctor had determined that she had a delusional disorder brought on by the adjustment of her mother's recent death and her father's recent marriage to Karen, who was already pregnant at the time of her wedding.

"Not only is competing to remain in your life, now that her mother is gone, but now she is competing against a baby for attention at a critical moment in her adolescent development," the doctor told Mr. Williams. "It is not uncommon for someone her age who is going through so many drastic changes to escape into a fantasy world. Her illusion even makes sense, considering the situation. She is running a maze. That could symbolize every thing she had been fighting against these past several months and this character-,"

"The Goblin King," Mr. Williams added.

"Right," the doctor nodded, turning through the pages on his chart, "he is the embodiment of the cancer that took her mother away."

Mr. Williams shook his head, staring at his daughter through the barred glass window in her door. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, in her hospital gown, motionless. "Will she be ok?"

"She is young. With therapy and treatment, she will be able to learn how to channel her stress and anxiety so she no longer feels the need to create this illusions to cope with reality," the doctor patted Mr. William's shoulder supportively. "Give her some time. This girl has been through a lot."

In the room, Sarah was alone, whispering to herself over and over, "I need you. I need all of you." Outside, a barn owl sat perched near her window, watching silently. As her desperation increased, tears rolled down her cheeks, staining her new hospital smock. She continued to say the words over and over until her cadence became a desperate chant.

But no one came.

**Author's Note:** I saw Isabeauluv's trailers on YouTube for this and I had to write a fanfiction story based off her awesome work. All credit for the plot idea can be given to her. I'm writing this based on how I see the story transpiring from the details in her two videos. I hope you enjoy it! Please check out her videos. They are edited together with such talent that they could be real movie trailers.


	2. Chapter One: Thirteen Years Later

Chapter One: Thirteen Years Later

_These accidents of faith and nature, they tend to stick in the spokes of you. But every now and then the trend bucks and you're repaired by more than glue. Worry not everything is sound. This is the safest place you've found." – Snow Patrol_

Sarah Williams entered her house, arms loaded with grocery bags. She kicked the front door shut, walking through the foyer to the kitchen in the back. The house was quiet and empty. It offered a solace she found in few places. There were pictures on the wall, as she passed through the long corridor to the kitchen. Images of her and Toby, her mother, her father and Karen, and even Merlin were hung there. Her childhood companion had died years ago, but she was still fond of the dog. He had never left her side, until his last breath. Sarah shook her head, laying the groceries out along the counter.

At any moment, Toby would be arriving home from school. She wanted to have all the food put away before he came in. The last few months had been difficult on them both. She was constantly trying to keep their lifestyle stable and easy. It was a battle every day. With time, it was becoming easier, but there were still some days when she struggled with the reality of their situation. She kept it in perspective by thinking how her younger brother must be feeling. He was a teenager now. Dealing with hormones and going through puberty was hard enough, but losing both of his parents to a car accident was worse.

When Robert and Karen Williams had been killed in a head-on collision with a drunk driver. They had died instantly. When Sarah had gotten the call, she had dropped everything to fly back to her hometown in New York to take care of her brother. He had been unresponsive to other members of the family and the authorities. A majority of the time, he locked himself away in his room. Sarah understood. She was in pain, affected by the loss as well. After her mother, Linda had died, Sarah had also grieved in silence. Despite their difference in age, Toby and Sarah had always been similar. Overwhelmed with grief or not, she had still handled the funeral arrangements, the lawyers, selling the house, and finally securing custody of Toby. It had been a severely long process due to her medical history. She had spent weeks completing the necessary paperwork and attending to the lawyer but in the end, she had managed to fly back home with her brother in tow.

They had been living in her apartment for less than a month when Sarah had decided it was too crammed. She pulled her savings and inheritance together to place the down payment on a house just outside the city of Philadelphia, where Toby could have his own room. At first, the move had not altered her brother's disposition. He was still silent and withdrawn. She tried taking him out to eat, letting him stay up late watching TV, giving him money to go to the mall with, and even on one occasion let him skip school to hang out at the new house. It wasn't until he had caught her crying outside on the front, that he had finally opened up to her.

Sarah had been outside, picking up the morning paper. She didn't have a Kindle or an iPad. She preferred to read from a physical book, to feel the paper beneath her fingers and smell the ink. On this particular morning, the dewdrops were sprinkled across the lawn, cold on her bare feet as she walked down to the sidewalk to fetch the paper. When her eyes fell to the headline, she felt the buried emotions surface rapidly, too quick to contain. A local politician had been killed in a car accident. Images of the wreckage were plastered all over the front page.

She hadn't heard Toby come outside. Before she knew what had happened, he was standing at her side, reading the paper over her arm. "I miss them too," he had said. Then he had hugged her and walked off towards school. It had taken Sarah several moments to collect herself and go back inside, but after that things began to change for the better.

It was a small gesture, but it opened a door for them. Toby began talking to her about school and his classes. He even went as far as to join the school newspaper, which Sarah eagerly supported by buying him a new laptop and printer for his room. Despite the progress they had made recently, she still went to great lengths to keep the house spotless, the kitchen well stocked, and the memories of her past under wraps. Toby didn't know anything about her treatment. Her father had kept it a secret in the beginning because of how young her brother was. Eventually it just became a subject that no one brought up. Karen and Sarah's father had been the only ones to know about her visits to the psychiatrist's office. When they had been buried, so had her secret. Her relationship with Toby was no longer a simple sister-brother connection. It was fragile. She did not want any hidden details of her history to impact it.

As she stocked the pantry with canned goods, she thought about the shrink she had seen back in New York. Doctor Michael Kosen had been a nice, elderly fellow with a gentle voice. His appointments had been soothing. They were not the intrusive inquiries she had predicted. After her trip to the Labyrinth, she had celebrated her victory with her friends. They had promised her if she needed them, they would be there for her. Once the victory party was over, she never saw them again. She had spent hours staring into her mirror, calling for them. Eventually, her father and Karen had taken notice. At first, her father labeled the behavior as Sarah's way of acting out for attention. Karen had blamed Sarah's mother Linda, who had been an actress with the local theater company. Linda had passed away a couple of years before Karen had married Robert. Karen thought the death paired with the birth of Toby had made Sarah unstable. A few months later, Robert agreed and sent Sarah to have a mental evaluation.

Dr. Kosen had asked Sarah very basic questions. She had been reluctant to share with him. When she had gone for her second session, she had arrived early and noted his vast book collection. He had a number of books on mythology and folklore. Sarah thought perhaps he would believe her about her journey Underground. She had shared with him her experience, expecting him to be impressed or at the very least interested by what she had encountered. Instead, he had prescribed her some anti-anxiety medication and suggested they meet twice a week instead of once every other week. He, of course, had reached out to her father and step-mother with his diagnosis. Her father had been confused and concerned, but Karen had been horrified. After that it was only a matter of time before her visits were an every other day occurrence.

Sarah had fought it every step of the way. She had been enraged. She felt betrayed by Dr. Kosen and her father. One day, when she had been driven home from her appointment, her father had tried to speak to her regarding her progress. He had brought up her mother, Linda's affair with a fellow actor. He thought his former wife's indiscretion had something to do with Sarah's inability to cope with reality. She had been furious. She had run up to her room and tried to contact her friends. There was no response. Hoggle, Sir Didymus, Ludo, and even the Goblin King himself had not come to see her once since the Labyrinth. She had gotten so frustrated, she had thrown the red playbook at her mirror, shattering it instantly. Her actions had caused her father to call Dr. Kosen's office. Sarah had waited in the hallway, unknown to her father, listening on the phone to what was said.

Dr. Kosen explained to Robert Williams that to Sarah, the Underground was real. At this point, she was too early in her treatment to see reason. "You see," he began over the phone to Sarah's father, "the nightmare is not knowing what's true. Imagine if you had suddenly learned that the people, the places, the moments most important to you were not gone, not dead, but worse, had never been."

Once Sarah had heard that, she had silently returned the receiver and gone to her room. She had laid in her bed, wordlessly for hours. She had declined dinner. She thought about what Dr. Kosen had said. His voice had not been vengeful. He had not sounded like he was baiting her father or trying to sell him on more appointments, more medication. He had sounded sorry for her. It had made her feel sick. When she had gone to sleep that night, she had made a choice. She was going to put the Underground, all her friends, the Labyrinth, and the Goblin King behind her. She began attending her meetings with Dr. Kosen with a serious goal. She wanted to get better. She wanted to forget about the fantasy and have a reality. She couldn't be a child forever.

Years went by. Finally, when she was eighteen, Dr. Kosen read her a transcript of what had transpired on her second meeting with him, where she had detailed her journey Underground. "Now Sarah," he had said. "What can you tell me about this place, the Underground."

"It isn't real," she had responded.

"And your friends?"

"Don't exist."

"The Goblin King."

"Never was."

Closing her eyes, Sarah tried to push the memories back. The years she had spent in treatment had been long and hard to endure. What Toby was working through now, his anger and his grief, were far worse. She had had her father and step-mother and brother to assist her, even if Toby had been unaware of what she had been going through. In his situation, there was only his sister, who was now his legal guardian as well. It was a complicated life. Just as she was finishing up in the kitchen, she heard the front door open.

"Sarah?"

"In here," she called, folding up the paper bags and stuffing under the sink quickly.

"Hey," Toby walked in, oblivious to her grocery run. He tossed his backpack on top of the island counter in the middle of the kitchen, moving to the fridge to pull out a can of soda. Cracking the top open, he took a seat at the island, facing her. "What's for dinner?"

"I thought I would make spaghetti," Sarah replied.

He rolled his eyes. "Again?"

"Don't you like spaghetti?"

"Yeah, but not every week."

She held up her hands, "Ok, point made. I can take a hint. What are you hungry for?"

"Can we order Chinese?" he asked, hopefully. Sarah inwardly groaned. She had spent an hour at the supermarket getting healthy items to create well-balanced home-made meals. "Com'on Sarah, please."

"I guess," she relented, thinking about the silver lining being she wouldn't have to do any dishes tonight.

"Cool," Toby jumped off the stool, going over to the basket at the end of the kitchen counter where Sarah had a collection of restaurant and take-out menus. He brought it back over, returning to his seat. "What are you going to get," he asked, peering over the items listed in red ink.

"Probably the vegetable lo mein, again."

He made a face, "But you always get that."

"Yeah," she made a face back at him, "Well what are you going to get?"

"General Tso's Chicken."

Sarah raised an eyebrow at her brother. "And you don't always get that?" she teased.

"Can't help it," Toby shrugged. "You're supposed to set a good example for me. You're the parent." He stopped, realizing what he had just said. Sarah froze. For a long moment, there was silence in the house. She could almost hear the seconds as each one ticked by. Then Toby, hooked his hand through the strap in his backpack. "I'm going to go start my homework," he said. He took his stuff and headed upstairs without another word.

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. That had not been the first time Toby had slipped. Last week, he had started to call her "Mom," but caught himself halfway through. The rest of the evening had been tense. She hoped it would not be the same this evening.

It was the first Friday night in weeks she hadn't had to work late. She wanted to be able to eat dinner and relax in front of the TV with her brother. Sarah had accepted a job right out of college, working as an Analytics Consultant. She had started her career in a small county hospital, creating workflows and reports for the clinicians. Her boss thought her problem-solving skills and ability to predict outcomes was phenomenal. After a few years, they had asked her to conduct her process with several other local businesses, including the police department. Needless to say, she was always busy, but the compensation was good.

Sarah pulled her cell out of her purse and placed the order for the Chinese, requesting delivery. She was not in the mood to test Toby with a ten-minute car ride after what had transpired in the kitchen. She would pay the extra five dollars for delivery to the house. The Oriental man at the opposite end of the phone quickly told her that it would be, "Ten minute," after taking her credit card information and hung up.

There was enough time to change and wash her face. She headed upstairs, passing Toby's closed door and her at home office for the door at the end of the hall. The master bedroom in the house was spacious. It had a bathroom attached, which was also roomy. Sarah shut the door, to strip out of her work clothes. Typically, she wore a suit or at the very least pants and a blouse to work. She often had meetings with high-level members of the hospital staff or areas of local government. Her area of expertise was important, but could be considered "overhead," so to ensure she was viewed in a positive light, she continued to dress professional at all times. Now, in the comfort of her own home, she chose a pair of heather gray sweatpants and a black V-neck thermal top. It was winter in Pennsylvania and there was already a chill in the air. She contemplated starting a fire down in the living room, but decided she had not chopped enough wood to keep her effort going through the night.

Pulling her hair back, Sarah kicked her discarded clothes into a pile by the hamper. She pinned her bangs back to wash her face. At twenty-eight, she had lost the baby fat from her body and face. She still had a slender build with clear skin. Her hips and chest had filled out. She was considerably attractive, but she was cool. She had lost her free-going, naive attitude for a more calculated, calm demeanor. The time spent with Dr. Kosen had not only changed her view on the Underground, but life in general. She had given up her childhood, become a strategic thinker, and immersed herself in numbers and facts instead of books and illusions.

It had helped her get accepted to University of Pennsylvania, where she had excelled in quantitative analytics. It had also hindered her ability to open up to new people. Although her sessions with Dr. Kosen had given her a new outlook on life, the meetings had also made it extremely difficult for her to trust anyone, especially with the constant digs like "crazy" and "psycho" from her high school peers. Moving to another state had been a positive change. Unfortunately, it hadn't been big enough to convince her to let her guard down. She picked up her dirty clothes off the floor, depositing them into the hamper. She removed the bobby pin from her bangs, letting them fall across her forehead.

She had a couple of friends in town. Joe Collins was a detective in the police department. He was a couple years older than Sarah with a handsome face and a good sense of humor. He had been curious as to what a "New York hot-shot" was doing in their suburban town. On Sarah's first day at the precinct, he had followed her around like a bodyguard, filling her in on all the quirks and fun facts about his colleagues on the force, while he pelted her with questions about what she was doing. It was a bit annoying at first, but by the end of the day, Sarah had made her first real friend in a long time.

Along with Joe, came Robin and Erik. They had graduated with Joe and all three had gone to high school together in the town. They had known each other for almost a lifetime. Erik and Robin married and had recently adopted a little girl from China. Robin was teaching art classes part-time at the high school and Erik ran a bistro café in town. They were like a movie couple, so sweet and sensitive. Sometimes it was hard for Sarah to understand why they got along well with Joe when he could be so blunt and aggressive.

Sarah left her room, pausing outside Toby's bedroom door on her way back downstairs. She could hear music playing and the rhythmic tapping of laptop keys. She sighed, recalling how spirited her brother had been as a young child, much the same as she had been. They had made progress, but Toby was still withdrawn. He had a few friends, his grades were average, and though he excelled at writing, the school newspaper only met one day a week after school. She had asked him if any other clubs or organizations appealed to him. His normal response was a wordless shrug or a half grunt, half mumble of "No." She didn't know how to get through to him. Changing schools was hard on a child, especially for their social network. Changing states, guardians, and living arrangements all at once was even more pressure. Shaking her head, Sarah went downstairs to the kitchen.

She retrieved two plates from one of the cabinets and utensils from the drawer by the sink. Toby may love Chinese food, but he couldn't use chopsticks. She took the flatware into the living room with a few napkins, placing everything on the coffee table. She had purchased a pair of matching foldout tables for "TV-dinner" nights, even though she never bought actual TV-dinners at the supermarket. More often than not, on weekend nights she and her brother ate in front of the TV together. It gave them ample discussion points and was a more relaxed mood than the formal dining room. The dining room was hardly used. It was large, but Sarah's network of friends and family was almost as small at Toby's. She was not planning on having a Christmas feast in there anytime soon. Just as she was setting up the TV for tonight's movie viewing, the phone rang.

Sarah went out into the foyer to pick up the cordless. "Hello?"

"Sarah Williams?" a man's voice returned from the other end.

"Yes."

"This is Mr. Wolfe. I'm the principal over at Penn Charter," the man explained. "I was wondering if you had a minute to discuss Toby's progress this marking period."

It seemed odd for an administrator to be calling on a Friday night, but Sarah was concerned about her brother. "Is there a problem?"

"Ms. Williams, I realize the circumstances of Toby's enrollment were not ideal. My condolences for the loss of your parents," Mr. Wolfe paused, but before Sarah could comment on his words, he continued. "Normally after a period of time, new students become acclimated to our infrastructure. They go out for sports, participate in charitable events, and start to build up a network of peers to prepare for college. Toby's attitude toward all of these things has been indifferent, at best."

Sarah bit her bottom lip. She had been afraid of this happening. She wasn't sure how serious it was until now. "Please understand, my brother has been through a great deal this past year. He suffered a huge loss."

"I took that into consideration, Ms. Williams, before I made this call. In fact, it is the reason for the call. I wanted to inform you of the severity of this before we took any action at the academy. I was hoping this could be remedied at home."

"Certainly," Sarah agreed, trying to remain calm and professional. She did not appreciate the tone in the principal's voice. "Do you have any suggestions, Mr. Wolfe, on how best to change the situation?"

"Have you considered taking Toby to see a therapist?"

She felt her stomach twist. She had been worried about Toby, but having him visit a psychiatrist the way she had done years ago was not an option she had considered. It was not an option she was comfortable with. She had lost her innocence. Her experience in that office had altered her life. Some people would argue that it had changed her for the better. She wanted to believe that, but some days she felt lost. She felt as if a piece of her was missing. It was a strange feeling. There was a void. It was never filled; not with the success of her career or even the addition of Toby to her daily life. Even now, she could feel the tendrils of the hole pulling at her. It was such a revolting sensation. She did not want her brother to experience that. She would not subject him to that form of healing.

"Ms. Williams?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wolfe. You were saying?"

"I think several appointments with a counselor or psychiatrist would work wonders for Toby's attitude," the principal continued. "Don't you?" The way his sickeningly sweet tone poured through the phone made Sarah's stomach churn further. She took several deep breaths before she responded.

"I appreciate your concern," she stated evenly, "but I have very strong feelings in regards to psychiatrists. At this moment in time, I am not convinced Toby's requires that level of care."

"Ms. Williams, with all due respect, I am an educational professional and-,"

There was a sharp, loud knock at the front door. Sarah jumped slightly, turned towards the noise. At first, she forgot about the Chinese. When the knock resounded again, she pushed the eerie feeling growing in her gut down. It was probably a combination of anger and nerves from the phone call.

"Mr. Wolfe," she interrupted, "I do apologize, but I need to be going." With a click, she hung up the phone.

The eerie feeling was growing. Sarah felt her fingers wrap around the doorknob a bit tighter than normal.

Sarah opened the front door. She gripped onto the door handle, blinking at the sight she saw before her. When it didn't change, she gasped. The man standing before her, was dressed in a black suit with a blue shirt. He was tall and slim with a strong build. His blonde hair was cut short and neat. The blue color in his shirt matched one of his eyes. The other orb was a dark brown. Behind him, police lights were flashing. An officer was standing behind him, while another made his way up her front walk.

She turned her attention back to the man in her doorway, searching his face. She knew it well. She knew each contour, each hidden smirk, and each cruel gaze. He was a man she knew well. He had been in her thoughts and her dreams for years. Dr. Kosen had told her that he didn't exist. Obviously, he hadn't gotten the memo, because here he was, standing right in front of her. When he saw her growing recognition, he smirked, an expression she remembered well.

And Sarah knew she was staring into the eyes of the Goblin King.

"Hello, Sarah."


	3. Chapter Two: Familiar

**Chapter 2: Familiar**

"_Now I was sitting, waiting, wishing that you believed in superstitions. Then maybe you'd see the signs, but Lord knows that this world is cruel__." – Jack Johnson_

Sarah felt herself staring at the man. A small voice in her head was screaming about how rude she was being, but it wasn't until Joe's voice interrupted her thoughts, which were spiraling out of control, that she found a way to break the trance.

"Hey, sorry to stop by so suddenly," Joe came running up to the porch. "Ryan and I were in the neighborhood and I wanted to introduce you to our new detective." Sarah looked past both men to the police car out on the street. Lieutenant Moser was writing a report from the driver's seat. When he saw Sarah, he gave a quick wave. She waved back. "Sarah, this is Detective David Jones. He just moved here from Las Angeles."

"I thought you were Chinese," she tried to laugh off the strange feeling of recognition she had. This man couldn't be the Goblin King. He didn't exist. Whatever fantasy she thought had occurred, it was just her overactive imagination. This man was a person of facts and science. She was wrong to accuse him of being a childhood villain. She reached out her hand, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Sarah Williams. I work with Joe and the boys down at the precinct each week. I'm an Analyst."

"Whatever that means," Joe rolled his eyes.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sarah Williams," David pulled her hand up to his face and planted a light kiss on the tops of her knuckles. The moment his mouth touched her skin, Sarah felt a chill race up her spine and then shoot out across her body like lightening. When David dropped her hand, she could still feel the tingling sensation on the tips of her fingers and toes.

"Whoa! Pulling out all the stops, now, aren't we?" Joe teased, nudging David, but the blonde-haired man's eyes never strayed from Sarah's face.

She found it hard to speak. He wasn't the Goblin King. His features were remarkably similar, but the cold, powerful exterior Jareth had possessed was not evident on this man. He appeared confident, intelligent, but not cruel. There was warmth in his eyes, a kindness that she had never seen in Jareth. He had held no compassion for her or his subjects. He only placed value in winning. Though she had just met David, she could feel in his touch and see in his face that he was not the same man. There was a strong sensation pulling her towards him, a magnetism holding her under his control. Then he blinked, glancing over at Joe and the feeling vanished.

Sarah blinked, taking a step back to steady herself. "Are you alright, Sarah?" Joe reached out to take her by the arm. David also moved forward.

"I'm fine," she waved them off. "Just a little dizzy."

"I hope you're not coming down with the flu," Joe chuckled, dropping his hand. David was still standing at the ready. "It seems like half the kids in school have it."

"I probably just need to eat something," Sarah reassured them. "I thought the Chinese would be here by now."

"Well, it is a Friday night," Joe stated.

"I am sure they will be along shortly," David said.

Just as he spoke, a white Toyota pulled up to the curb. A think man came racing up to the porch with a large white plastic bag in one hand. There were several bright red Chinese symbols on the bag. Dinner had finally arrived.

"See?" Joe smiled, "Right on time."

David turned back toward Sarah and gave her a quick nod. "We will leave you to your dinner. It was nice to meet you. I hope I see you again soon."

"Nice meeting you. Have a good night," she waved at them, before telling the deliveryman to give her a minute to get her wallet.

As she walked away from her front door, she saw David glance back at her. He could be Jareth's twin in looks, but in manners it was not even close. He caught her eyes for a second. In that instant she felt a wave of butterflies swarm over her. She hadn't had such a rush of feelings since she was a teenager. It had been years since she ha let herself feel anything like what she was experiencing now. It was a quick burst, but slightly intoxicating.

"Is the food here?" Toby called from upstairs. His voice reminded Sarah why she hadn't been involved with anyone. She had other responsibilities to take care of.

"Yes. Come down and set the table, please."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a few bills to pay the deliveryman. When she shut the front door, she made sure to latch the deadbolt. She wasn't in the mood for any more surprises this evening.

"Who was at the door?" Toby asked, handing Sarah a plate from the kitchen cabinet.

"Joe stopped by with the new detective, so I could meet him."

"He had to stop in tonight? It's a Friday."

Sarah shrugged. "You know him. He stops by whenever he feels like it." She started pulling the food containers out of the bag and lining them up on the counter top.

"Yeah, cause he has the hots for you." Toby rolled his eyes and made a face.

"Excuse me?" She pretended to ignore the awkward statement, by pulling her Brita out of the fridge and pouring them each a glass of water. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Geez, get with the program," Toby sighed. "He likes you."

"I think you're reading into our friendship a little too much, mister. Joe and I are just friends. Here," she handed her brother his glass of water and walked into the living room.

"Does he know that?"

Sarah set her food and water down on the coffee table, so she could turn on the TV. "Of course he does."

"Whatever you say," Toby sighed again, shaking his head. He took a seat next to his sister on the couch.

"So what will it be tonight? 'Pawn Stars' or 'Chopped'?"

"'Chopped,'" Toby decided. "I want to see Alex be her usual nasty self and make someone cry."

She pulled up the newest episode and they began to eat their Chinese with forks and knives. What Toby had said in the kitchen was a surprise to Sarah. She had never considered Joe in a romantic way. He was a good friend. He had been the first person she had a real connection with since she had moved to Pennsylvania. Though he was funny, good-natured, and attractive, she didn't feel the same fluttery sensation when she thought of him the way she did when she recalled how David had kissed her hand or the mysterious way he had looked back at her when they had left.

"Alright, so who do you think is on the chopping block?" Toby asked.

Sarah focused on the screen, realizing she had missed the entire appetizer round. "That guy with the beard and the plaid shirt," she quickly guessed.

Toby raised an eyebrow at her. "I knew you weren't paying attention. Thinking about Joe, huh?" He waited for her retort, but when she glared at him, he continued devouring his General Tso's chicken.

When the next commercial came on, Sarah took the opportunity to ask Toby about school. "I got a call from Mr. Wolfe today. He said you aren't participating in any sports or community programs."

"Yeah," Toby scoffed. "Because they are all stupid and the people running them are stupid and the other students in the club are stupid. It's all stupid."

"Toby-,"

"Sarah, I don't want to do it. I want to write. That's all I want to do. I want to work with Jeff and Bret on the paper and get the hell out of Penn Charter."

"Toby!"

"I know mom and dad wanted me to go to a good school like that, but let's be real, it's not like they can say much about it now, right? I mean, they're dead. They can't yell at you about it."

"Toby Robert Williams," Sarah cried. "Don't you ever say any thing like that again, do you understand me?"

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes, moving his fork around his plate.

"No," Sarah put her hand on his arm. "Not whatever. Karen, dad, and I didn't get along, but that has nothing to do with you, do you understand? They loved you. They wanted you to go to a good school because they wanted you to have the best. They wanted you to be educated so you could get into a good college and get a good job. They loved you, Toby. They just wanted you to have everything."

"Yeah, well that's not what really happened, is it? No. Instead they died. You got stuck with me and I got stuck in Penn Charter." He slammed down his plate on the coffee table and walked out of the room.

"I'm not done talking to you."

"I'm not hungry. I'm going to bed." Sarah heard his door slam a few moments later.

She took a deep breath, feeling the tears at the corners of her eyes. Toby was mad. He was hurt and lost without his parents. She understood that he was healing. Despite her efforts to help him through his grief, she found herself shocked by his sudden outburst. He had never raised his voice before. He had never gotten so angry in her presence. She was unsure if this was progress or a step backwards. Sighing, she turned off the TV and gathered up the dishes.

It was difficult to decide how to raise a teenager. She was barely an adult. Although some people her age had their own children, most of them weren't raising a thirteen-year-old and none of them were raising a child of that age alone. She took another deep breath as she began to fill the sink. Her adolescence hadn't been typical. Her parents had divorced and she had been forced to see a psychiatrist on a regular basis. She didn't even know where to begin with Toby. What was the right way to be a parent? She didn't have the best role models to look up to for advice on that. Her mother had had an affair and took off to pursue an acting career and her father had been too busy sleeping with his neighbor to notice.

Sarah carefully laid the dishes in the grooves of the drainer, her mind still combing over the details of her conversation with Toby. She couldn't understand what he was going through. She didn't believe that Mr. Wolfe understood either. She highly doubted he cared. He seemed to be a man on a power trip. She had no respect for an authority figure like that. It made sense why Toby had such a visible disdain for Penn Charter's leaders. Switching off the lights, she headed upstairs.

Normally, she refrained from entering Toby's room. She had only been in a handful of times since they had moved. Teenagers liked their privacy. She knew that much. Boundaries were a crucial part of any living arrangement, but those privileges were cast aside as she knocked on the door.

"Toby?" There was no answer, but she could hear movement. She knocked again. "I'm coming in," she announced, entering the room a moment later.

"I didn't say you could come in," Toby snapped.

Sarah bit back her lip, understanding the rough tone. He was crying. She walked over to where Toby was sitting at his desk, scrolling through pictures of his parents. "I know you miss them," she began softly. "It's ok to be mad at them, but you can't believe that they didn't love you." Toby moved away, leaving to sit on the edge of his bed with his back to her. "I was mad at my mom, Linda, when she left. The first time I spoke to her after she moved out, I told her that I hated her."

Toby looked over his shoulder at Sarah. "Did you mean it?"

"Yes and no," she admitted. "I was angry with her, so angry that I said harsh things to her. Part of me wanted to hurt her the way she hurt me and part of me wanted to see if I pushed her hard enough, would she come back home."

"What happened?" Toby asked.

"She died," Sarah told him, hearing her voice crack. "She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer a couple of weeks after that." Toby didn't say anything, but he turned around to face his sister. "I know you are mad and I know your life got turned upside down. I can't understand what you are going through, but I am here for you, Toby. I was never supposed to be your mother. For what it's worth, I'm trying my best to make it easier on you."

"I'm sorry," he said, softly. He came over and hugged her. She was surprised by the contact. He squeezed her tight, burying his face. It wasn't until she felt the tears soaking through her shirt that she realized he was crying again. She gave him a few minutes, not daring to break the hug. When he finally pulled back and looked up at her, he gave her a smile and asked, "Can we watch the rest of 'Chopped' now? I want to see if your bearded, plaid-shirt guy won."

* * *

The following morning, Sarah woke up on the couch. She had fallen asleep while they had been watching a marathon of "Chopped" episodes. Toby was on the love seat, one arm thrown over his head, the other dangling off the side of the furniture. He was breathing heavily, signaling he was still asleep. She got up quietly and padded out to the kitchen, to start making breakfast. The first thing she needed was some coffee. Unfortunately, the pantry was bare. She mentally kicked herself for not remembering to get a new batch during her store run the day before.

Waking Toby up was not a viable option. Ever since he had been a child, waking him had been a dangerous task. He had a nasty habit of kicking and thrashing, as if being woken from a terrible dream and his mood was not much better. Sarah grabbed a scrap of paper and scribbled a quick note for him, in case he did wake up naturally while she was out. She left it on the end table by the loveseat.

There was a corner market a few blocks down the street. Over the last few weeks the weather had warmed considerably and Sarah was pleased to be able to walk to the store. The sun felt comforting on her face. As she strolled along the sidewalk, she passed a small park and several apartment complexes. Everyone was enjoying the ability to be outside again. Children were running around playing tag and hopping all over the jungle gym equipment. Parents were chatting with each other nearby, while bikers and joggers were scattered about, getting their morning exercise in early. Sarah smiled to herself, taking it all in.

When she entered the marketing, she waved to the clerk at the front and headed back to the aisle where the coffee was stored. She was eyeing up the different varieties as she walked and didn't pay attention to where she was going. She nearly walked into Robin.

"Hey, Sarah," her friend smiled, giving her a quick sideways hug.

"Hey."

"You're up early," Robin grinned. "Where's Toby?"

"Still asleep," Sarah rolled her eyes. "Teenager."

"Right. Can't wait until we have one."

"I'm not sure I can imagine a mini Erik running around."

"I was hoping more for a mini me," Robin admitted. "Is that bad?"

"No," Sarah chuckled. "We are all probably safer that way. And the baby will be cuter."

"Speaking of cute," Robin started, "Have you met the new detective yet? Joe brought him by for dinner last night when they were on break. He was trying to get him acclimated to the area. He's a good looking guy." Sarah watched a slight flush rise in Robin's cheeks. "Not that it matters. I've already got my Prince Charming, but I could live vicariously through you," she prompted, with a raise of her eyebrows.

"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself," Sarah made a face.

Robin made a face back at her. Lowering her voice, she asked, "Sarah, when was the last time you went out on a date?"

Sarah took a minute to process the question. She knew the answer, but she didn't want Robin to know the answer. Sarah Williams had never been on a "real" date. She had gone for coffee and to dinner with small groups of people in college, but she had never gone out with a man by herself, where he picked up the tab, and tried to coax her to come back to his place. Normally, that fact didn't bother her, especially now that Toby was living with her. Raising a child usually raised a red flag with men, but raising a teenager sent them running for the hills.

"It's been a while," she finally, sighed.

"That's what I thought," Robin crossed her arms over her chest. "So why not go after Mr. Tall and Mysterious? It's not like you have to marry the guy, just go out on a date or two. Have some fun!"

"I can't. What about Toby?"

"Sarah, he's thirteen, not three. Besides, you aren't his mother. You're his sister. He will understand you have to move on with your life. Believe me, " Robin coaxed, "I work with kids every day. They are more resilient than you think."

"I don't know," Sarah mumbled, absently reaching for a can of coffee grounds on a nearby shelf.

"Listen," Robin said, "I know you've been through a lot with losing your parents and taking your brother in. You work hard, Sarah. Everyone knows that. Having a little fun once in a while won't change people's opinion of you. You need to be selfish sometimes and do something just for you, instead of worrying about everyone else."

Sarah felt her hands tighten around the coffee can. She felt comfortable around Robin, Erik, and Joe. She had learned how to let down her defenses and relax around them. She felt the same with Toby, but adding another person to her carefully calculated equation made her anxious. Despite Robin pushing it as a temporary arrangement, Sarah did not consider herself the "dating" type. She was a relationship person. She valued the few people she had in her life. They were her world and Toby was at the center of it. She couldn't have a "maybe" person hovering on the outside, waiting for her to let him in. It felt strange and unusual.

Then she remembered how electric she had felt when David had kissed her hand and the sensation that had rippled through her entire body when she had seen him look at her, as he left. Even now, it stirred up emotions inside of her that she couldn't place. Perhaps the reason she felt as if she knew David from somewhere, wasn't because he shared physical traits with the Goblin King, but because a part of her needed a human connection.

"I'll think about it," she relented.

"Good," Robin smiled. "See you later."

While Sarah walked back to her house, she replayed the conversation she had had with Robin over and over again. It was a gift and a curse, being an Analyst. Robin had been sincere, which bothered Sarah slightly. If Robin was concerned about her, she wondered what Erik and Joe thought about her lack of relationships. Other than Toby, who was, in a way, obligated to be in her life, they were the only people she consistently relied on and was open to. She wanted them to have the best perception of her. Sighing, she unlocked the front door and walked into the house.

Toby was still strewn about the loveseat. She shook her head, watching him for a moment. He hadn't even noticed she had been gone. Maybe there was some truth to what Robin was saying. Maybe it was time for her to let another person into her life.


End file.
